Welcome to the bass spotlight! Read on to find out what they have to say about Tehillah this year.
What has most influenced your interest in music?
Travis: My dad. He and I would often talk about things like the quality of music. He also has been conducting choirs since I was three months old and I was able to start singing in choirs when I was 12.
Joseph: Brother Lyle Stutzman at EBI definitely influenced my interest in choral music.
Julian: My family, and oddly enough, Spotify, because I’ve been a subscriber for five plus years. It has helped me to discover music I never would have bought.
What was it about Tehillah that made you want to join?
Kendrick: It was very spur of the moment, so I’m not sure I had a reason. It was more like, “Oh, cool, here’s an opportunity to sing with a group of people. Let’s do it!” I always thought it would be good to sing with a group that would push me musically.
Travis: They came to my church last year, and their facial expression and their spirit was so joyful, so exuberant, that I wanted to be a part of something like that. When they walk into a church, everyone just immediately feels the spirit of joy.
Joseph: It’s because it was a group of people that I knew well and enjoyed singing a lot, even more than I did.
What is your overall goal in singing?
Kendrick: To have fun! There is something very pleasurable about singing good music.
Joseph: To get a better appreciation of God’s beauty and to express that beauty to the best of my ability.
Julian: To sing well in order to lead people to worship.
How is this ensemble helping you achieve that goal?
Kendrick: It’s helping me become a better singer, in vocal production, memory, consonants, etc. Music is a lot more fun to sing when you’re in a group and producing something special. If you’re good, it’s a lot more fun. And you can minister to other people.
Joseph: It gives me a place and a chance to sing with a group that has the same musical goals as I do.
Julian: It has changed every aspect of how I sing. From a technical standpoint, it’s helped my tone and breathing as well as my ability to read music. The music enhances the message with good lyrics. Having the opportunity to sing quality music takes me to a place where I am worshiping and where I can help other people worship.
What is your favorite song on tour? Why?
Kendrick: I like “All Praise to Thee.” because to me it seems so worshipful, just so much awe of God. The music totally captures that feeling of worship.
Joseph: Right now my favorite song is “I Waited Patiently” mostly because it’s brand new. I like the lyrics to other songs, and some other lyrics are more meaningful, but I’ve sung them for longer. I like this because it’s a new way to express praise.
Julian: “My Cry” is one of the most emotive, and because of that it touches a part of me that not many of the other songs do. Textually, “All Praise to Thee” because of the contrast, because of how well it portrays the incarnation.
What is your favorite part about being on tour?
Travis: It’s probably the interaction with the singers outside of the music. This goes back to the joyfulness. These people are some of the most spiritually grounded and joyful people that I have ever met.
Joseph: The interaction with other members and seeing the impact of the songs on audience members after the programs.
If you could practice one instrument and get really good at it, what would it be?Kendrick: The panflute.
Jess: What is a panflute?
Kendrick: Panpipes, panflute, same animal.
Travis: The piano.
Joseph: I don’t know, I’d probably say the piano but that’s really boring. Actually, I would maybe enjoy learning the clarinet, but I don’t know if that’s something you can get really good at. Classical guitar. I wouldn’t actually mind being good at the banjo. Don’t write that down.
Julian: I have to practice? (Sheepish smile) I really want to learn piano again because I took lessons for ten years, so I would like to get good at that again.
If you could sing another voice part, what would you want to sing?
Kendrick: It would either have to be a super, super, super low bass, or a super high soprano, because I like extremes.
Travis: First tenor.
Joseph: Second tenor.
Julian: I would like to be a true second bass.
What is your motto?
Kendrick: Love God, and love people.
Travis: People won’t remember what you did or what you said but how you made them feel.
– Jessica Wenger